Amateur Radio Station

Amateur Radio operators are people who communicate around the world with other operators as a hobby. They talk with each other, use Morse code, link their computers together to send messages and files, swap photographs and transmit short videos. They even use satellites and can communicate with astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

The original ‘makers’

Like other inventors of the time, the original pioneers of wireless radio experimented until they had a working product; this is the ethos of the maker. In fact, it’s often said that Thomas Edison, credited with perfecting the electric light bulb, once said that he hadn’t failed to perfect the light bulb a thousand times but that he’d found a thousand ways why the light bulb didn’t work.

That ethos hasn’t changed since those early days and today’s modern ‘makers’ adopt the same mantra. And this is particularly true of amateur radio operators; they are responsible for inventing many of the modern techniques we use to communicate around the world today and make information transfer faster, more secure and less susceptible to corruption from interference.

Distance is no object

The distance between operators can be many thousands of miles and, in most cases, they do not use the Internet. However, many operators do know how to use radio and the Internet together to send messages to anywhere in the world; this includes places like McMurdo Ice Station in Antarctica.

Our station gives you the chance to have a go at Amateur Radio and talk with someone who may be on the other side of the world.

Part of a huge worldwide community

The hobby is very popular in the UK where there are over 60,000 licensed operators. They range in age from early teens, though there are a few younger than this, to well over the age of retirement. It is also a very popular hobby with women and young girls.

You do not need to be a technical expert to enjoy Amateur Radio and getting in to the hobby is very simple. You just have to sit a short test of about 27 multiple choice questions and demonstrate that you can set up and operate a radio station safely and without causing interference to anyone else.

If you are interest in Amateur Radio as a hobby then please visit the Quantum Technology Club web site for further details.